Rep. Seth Moulton ends Democratic presidential primary bid

Former Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., gestures while speaking at the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, in San Francisco. Moulton announced he is dropping from the race. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton is exiting the Democratic presidential primary race, becoming the second 2020 candidate to drop out this week as the field narrows.

Moulton announced the end of his campaign during remarks to the Democratic National Committee at their summer meeting Friday in California.

He says, “Though this campaign is not ending the way we hoped, I am leaving this race knowing that we raised issues that are vitally important to the American people and our future.”

Moulton’s departure didn’t go unnoticed by President Donald Trump, who routinely mocks the large field of his Democratic challengers.

“The Dow is down 573 points perhaps on the news that Representative Seth Moulton, whoever that may be, has dropped out of the 2020 Presidential Race!” the president tweeted.

The stock market dropped earlier in the day after Trump tweeted that he had “hereby ordered” U.S. companies to consider alternatives to doing business in China and vowed that he would respond to Beijing’s latest tariff increase.

Asked about Trump’s tweet, Moulton told reporters that he was glad the president thinks Moulton has more effect on the Dow than Trump does.

Moulton focused his 2020 candidacy on mental health treatment after revealing his own struggles on that front as a combat veteran. He joins Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in exiting the presidential race this week.

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